3/14/2019 Editor’s Note:The charges against the coaches have been dropped.

ALLIANCE, Ohio– The two Minerva Middle School coaches accused of ordering wrestlers to “take down” another student appeared in court.

Nathan G. Smith is charged with endangering children and Jason Q. Lutz is charged with complicity to commit endangering children. They were arraigned in Alliance Municipal Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

About 16 students injured the 12-year-old victim. Court documents said the “take downs” were not part of regular practice or normal discipline.

The fathers of two of the children accused in the incident said their sons did nothing wrong.

“Our district recently was made aware of allegations regarding two coaches and responded immediately. The district followed all necessary protocols and assigned the coaches to home while an investigating by both the district and law enforcement took place,” said Gary Chaddock, Minerva Local Schools superintendent, in a statement on Monday.